Salma Hayek Launches Tetanus Appeal

Actress Salma Hayek kicked off the North American One Pack = One Vaccine campaign this week in Chicago.

The program, a UNICEF initiative, aims to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus around the world through a special donation scheme set up in association with Pampers diapers. From April 1 to 30, for every specially marked pack of Pampers bought in the US and Canada, Pampers will provide UNICEF with funding for one potentially life-saving tetanus vaccination for a mother in a third world country.

The goal of the North American program is to provide over 27 million vaccinations to mothers in 12 African nations and hopefully wipe out the disease forever. And when Hayek appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show on Monday, this goal was brought one step closer – Oprah gifted each of the 350 guests in the audience 100 vaccinations in their names. And if this wasn’t enough, Proctor and Gamble – the company behind Pampers – announced they will donate 1 million vaccinations in Oprah’s name (a donation of around $68,000).

Tetanus has a high fatality rate in Africa – 70 to 100% in some countries – and is spread by spores that pass through the umbilical cord when cut with unsanitary instruments.